Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Social Protection in view of the recruitment embargo on local authorities, the paid employment opportunities that it is envisaged participants on the proposed gateway scheme will obtain once they have completed the programme. [43366/13]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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50. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the formal training qualifications that participants on gateway will obtain during their participation. [43372/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 50 together.

Gateway aims to improve the employability and work readiness of participants by providing them with the opportunities to put their work skills into practice and to learn new skills to enable them to progress to work, further education or other development opportunities. In line with Pathways to Work, Gateway will provide, for those selected, opportunities to maintain work readiness and to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. The process of identifying work opportunities is currently underway in each county and city council, including the necessary consultation with stakeholders. The Deputy will appreciate that the Department of Social Protection has no role in determining the positions that might be made available within each council given the range of services that county and city councils deliver.

I understand however, that a variety of tasks will be identified and made available to Gateway participants. This will include a mixture of new opportunities and opportunities to work in services that have not been provided by county and city councils due to the pressure of scarce resources. The primary focus of Gateway is to improve the employability and work readiness of participants by providing them with opportunities to put their work skills into practice and to learn new skills to enable them to progress to work, further education or other development opportunities. County and city councils will have primary responsibility for identifying and arranging for the delivery of training requirements. The Government has provided funding of €2.835 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund to defray the costs of inputs and compliance/training costs.